The subject matter herein relates generally to cable assemblies, and more particularly, to termination features of cable assemblies.
Various types of fiber optic and copper based cable assemblies that permit communication between electronic host equipment and external devices are known. These cable assemblies may be in the form of transceivers that are incorporated into modules that can be pluggably connected to the host equipment to provide flexibility in system configuration. The modules are constructed according to various standards for size and compatibility, one standard being the Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) module standard. In one particular application, the transceiver is plugged into a receptacle that is mounted on a circuit board within the host equipment. The receptacle includes an elongated guide frame, or cage, having a front that is open to an interior space, and an electrical connector disposed at a rear of the cage within the interior space. Both the connector and the guide frame are electrically and mechanically connected to the circuit board, and when a transceiver is plugged into a receptacle it is electrically and mechanically connected to the circuit board as well.
The transceivers are used in systems that are configured to operate at different electrical speeds. Typically, higher speed systems utilize larger cables, and the transceivers are designed differently to accommodate the different sized cables. It is costly to manufacture a family of different transceivers because a different mold is required for each different design. Additionally, some transceivers are copper based, while others are fiber optic based. Both types of transceivers require a different architecture to support and connect to the particular size cable.
Known transceivers suffer from other drawbacks including incorporation of a cable strain relief that extends well beyond the housing of the transceiver. The cable strain relief typically surrounds the termination of the cable braid to the housing. For example, the cable braid may be wrapped around a boss extending from the back end of the housing, and the strain relief is connected over such termination. Having the termination and the strain relief external to the housing increases the overall length of the assembly. Additionally, the cable strain relief is typically fairly rigid and not easily bent. Having the cable strain relief extending well beyond the back end of the housing increases the straight line distance that the cable extends from the front of the transceiver. Having a long cable straight line distance from the front of the transceiver is problematic in that cable management is difficult and the overall space taken by the system is larger.
A need remains for a cable assembly that overcomes these and other problems with known cable assemblies. A need remains for a cable assembly that can accommodate multiple cables in a common housing. A need remains for a cable assembly that has a reduced footprint and shorter overall length.